Criticism or advice?
It's a thin line between the two and they are often really just the same. If you are asked to review someones site and there is something not quite right, you have to criticise, but the way to do it that doesn't cause offence is to suggest some alteration or addition that would make it better. You've just changed criticism into advice.
Even well intended criticism can upset and the WA community can never be guilty of that as we all try to help one another in a constructive way as I have found on many occasions and been extremely grateful. Reading blogs has been a real eye opener as people share their experiences and over recent days I have learnt so much from the wonderful contributors.
Keep up the good work and I look forward to reading what you have to say each day.
Recent Comments
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If you cannot take the criticism, you should not ask for advice. The personality of the person will come through with the answer.
Some people are more considerate but some don't. Learn to ignore those comment if you think it is just pure criticism.
Just remember that the guy has spend time looking at your website, because of you asked for it. You should appreciate that.
Your earlier post about putting graphics/photos on your site to make it look more appealing really hit home, as my site is just a bunch of words. So you were criticising how some sites looked, but then saying exactly how to put it right and I've started to do just that on my own site. That's the concept I was trying to convey, but I failed obviously. Sorry.
Like you've said, it is a fine line between criticism and advice. Sometime we means well, but the person on the receiving end could take it differently.
Think about this, if everyone tells you that you have a nice website, but the truth is it is terrible. Does it helped you at all?
When people review your website, the ones you really need to look at is those one which tell you, you need to improve.
You do not have to say sorry, you did nothing wrong.
Cheers, have a good day.
I totally agree MisterWailor, if people aren't honest then you achieve nothing and if there are things that could be improved upon you don't find that out do you? I highly value input if it helps me improve what I have already and makes it a better experience for my visitors.
I guess a lot depends on the personality of the person receiving the criticism and how well they respond. I personally welcome criticism as I know it's meant in good faith and is a means to improve upon what I have presented and something to be learned from.
Please see my comment above Talle. What I was trying to say (I'm not good at conveying this obviously) is that criticism on its own is not always good if you don't understand what it is about. If the criticism is then followed up with advice and guidance then it immediately becomes a positive and allows you to put things right.
Sometimes, some people could not give you the follow up advice, because they don't know how to make it better. They just know that it is not good, and that's it.
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I think you have misunderstood the concept here - I wasn't saying criticism is a bad thing, quite the contrary. The way it is presented is what I was trying to convey, for if someone criticises your site, for instance, it is always with advice tacked on to help you put right or amend what isn't quite right. As you say MisterWailor criticism just for the sake of it doesn't help anyone.